Automatic sampler for flowing staple fiber

ABSTRACT

This invention is an automatic sampler and method to remove samples of staple fiber flowing through a transfer line comprising a yarn sample container connected to the transfer line. The container has supported internally a yarn catching means such as a hook which is thrust into the transfer line where it catches a small wad of flowing staple and then returned into the sample container where the wad of staple drops off by gravity into the container. The container has a door or other means to remove the sample fiber.

United StatesPatent Wilder et al.

in] 3,841,159 i 51 Oct. '15, 1974 AUTOMATIC SAMPLER FOR FLOWING STAPLE FIBER Inventors: Marion Archer Wilder; Charles Spurgeon Ward; Allen Edens Ward, all of Columbia, S.C.

Allied Chemical Corporation, New York, NY.

Filed: Mar. 2, 1973 Appl. No.: 337,325

Assignee:

US. Cl. 73/422 R, 73/423 R Int. Cl. G0ln 1/20 Field of Search 73/422 R, 423 R References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1963 Murray et a1 73/423 3,577,598 5/1971 Schwarz 73/424 Primary Examiner-S. Clement Swisher Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richard A. Anderson 5 7 ABSTRACT This invention is an automatic sampler and method to remove samples of staple fiber flowing through a transfer line comprising a yarn sample container connected to the transfer line. The container has supported internally a yarn catching means such as a hook which is thrust into the transfer line where it catches a small wad of flowing staple and then returned into the sample container where the wad of staple drops off by gravity into the container. The container has a door or other means to remove the sample fiber.

6 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure AUTOMATIC SAMPLER FOR .FLOWING STAPLE FIBER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method of sampling natural or synthetic fiber which has been chopped into staple and is flowing through a transfer line by known means such as a pneumatic transfer line in which the staple is blown through a pipe conduit or other type of line. The staple is prepared by cutting a tow f drawn filaments of synthetic or natural fiber. To meet customer requirements, the cut length of this staple must be closely controlled. Experience has shown that this necessitates frequent sampling of the product. Prior to the present invention, a sample from each of many staple transfer lines was taken manually every five minutes. For tighter specifications and sometimes for other reasons, the sampling interval was sometimes reduced to two minutes. The sample was taken by opening a hatch in the transfer line downstream of the cutter that chops the two into staple and grabbing a sample of the staple as it blew through the line. One end-use of staple fiber is in carpet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The method of this invention is automatically samcontainer and releasing any yarn caught by the yarn catching means into the container. The yarn catching means is located within the yarn sample container which is sealed to and communicates with an opening in the transfer line.

The apparatus of this invention is an automatic sampler to remove samples of staple fiber flowing through a transfer linecomprising a yarn sample container sealed to withstand the pressure in the transfer line and communicating with the transfer line througha short conduit to an opening in the transfer line. The conduit is also sealed around the opening. Within the top of the container, the container supports a yarn catching means connected to-a means to thrust the catching means into the conduit through the opening and into the transfer line and return. The catching means is arranged to release the caught yarn upon return to the container. The yamsample container has means to remove the fiber from the container such as a sealed hinged door. The preferred catching means is a hook oriented to point against the direction flow of fiber. The preferred means to thrust and return the catching means is a fluid cylinder such as an air cylinder. The flowing staple in the transfer line is preferably pneu? matically motivated, that is, it is blown through the transfer line with flowing gases. Preferably, the yarn catching means is actuated to enter the transfer line and return at repeated scheduled periodic intervals, such as entering the transfer line every one-tenth to 10 minutes and actuating to return after a dwell time of l to ID seconds after the actuating to enter occurs. The yarn catching means preferably projects I to 2 inches into the transfer line. The apparatus and method of this invention samples automatically a previously manual time consuming sample. Eliminating the large amount of labor required for manual sampling of just nine sample processing lines has provided anestimated savings of about $29,000 per year. In addition, the samples of staple are more uniform and consistent with the automatic samples than by manual sampling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The drawing shows an elevation tus of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawing, the yarn'sample container 1 which can be an aluminum sampling can, serves as a reservoir for accumulating the yarn samples as well as view of the apparaproviding a framework for mounting the yarn catching .around opening 11 and around door 3 but not shown.

Yarn hook 8 is connected to air cylinder 9 with coupling 4. Air cylinder 9 is mounted near the top of container l as shown. The internal construction of cylinder 9 is such that the rod'and hook 8 are prevented from rotating. The length of the cylinder 9 and the hook 8 are chosen sothat with cylinder 9 extended, hook 8 projects 1 inch to 2 inches into the transfer line 6. The

' exact amount of the projection can be adjusted-by loos ening the set screws in coupling 4. As staple blows through line 6, the sample accumulates as a wad of staple on the end of hook 8 when it is thrust into line 6 until hook 8 is withdrawn. When cylinder 9 retracts, the sample falls off the hook and collects in the bottom of container 1. The thrust and return of the hook can be controlled with a control box (not shown) which can contain two pneumatically timed delay relays which together 'with a four-way valve and associated. components control the length of time that cylinder 9 remains in the extended and retracted positions. The dwell in theextended position is adjustable from 1 to. 10 seconds. This variable along with the adjustment of the hook 8 projection described above allows the sample. size to be adjusted. The dwell in the retracted position is adjustable up to seconds, thus determing sampling frequency.

We claim:

1. An automatic sampler to remove samples of staple fiber flowing through a transfer line comprising a sample container sealedto withstand the pressure in said transfer line and said container communicating with said transfer line through a short conduit to anopening in said transfer line, said conduit being sealed at said opening,

container, said catching means prevented from rotating and arranged to release caught .flber upon v return to said container, and means to remove said fiber'from said container.

2. The automatic sampler of claim 1 wherein said catching means is a hook, said'hook being oriented to point against the direction of flow of said fiber, said means to remove said fiber from said can is a sealable hinged door and said means to thrust and return said catching means is a fluid cylinder.

3. The sampler of claim 2 wherein said fluid cylinder is an air cylinder.

4. The sampler of claim 1 wherein said flowing staple in said transfer line is pneumatically motivated.

5. A method of automatically sampling staple fiber flowing through a transfer line comprising actuating a catching means for flowing fiber to enter said transfer line every 0.1 to minutes, said falls off said hook upon return to said container.

v s a: 

1. An automatic sampler to remove samples of staple fiber flowing through a transfer line comprising a sample container sealed to withstand the pressure in said transfer line and said container communicating with said transfer line through a short conduit to an opening in said transfer line, said conduit being sealed at said opening, said container supporting within and near the top of said container a catching means for flowing fiber connected to a means to thrust said catching means into said conduit and said opening in said transfer line and return said catching means to within said container, said catching means prevented from rotating and arranged to release caught fiber upon return to said container, and means to remove said fiber from said container.
 2. The automatic sampler of claim 1 wherein said catching means is a hook, said hook being oriented to point against the direction of flow of said fiber, said means to remove said fiber from said can is a sealable hinged door and said means to thrust and return said catching means is a fluid cylinder.
 3. The sampler of claim 2 wherein said fluid cylinder is an air cylinder.
 4. The sampler of claim 1 wherein said flowing staple in said transfer line is pneumatically motiVated.
 5. A method of automatically sampling staple fiber flowing through a transfer line comprising actuating a catching means for flowing fiber to enter said transfer line every 0.1 to 10 minutes, said catching means located within the sample container sealed to and communicating with an opening in said transfer line, and actuating said catching means to return into said container within 1 to 10 seconds after said actuating to enter occurs, releasing any fiber caught by said catching means into said container, said catching means being prevented from rotating.
 6. The sampler of claim 2 wherein said flowing staple fiber in said transfer line is pneumatically motivated upward through said transfer line, and said caught fiber falls off said hook upon return to said container. 